austraLasia #3328
Burmese Blessed announced
VATICAN: 12 December 2013 -- Pope Francis this week recognised the martyrdom of an Italian missionary and a local catechist who were killed for their faith in the last century in Myanmar, formerly Burma. 39-year old Fr. Mario Vergara of the Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions (PIME) from Frattamaggiore, near Naples, Italy, and Catechist Isidore Ngei Ko Lat were killed at Shadaw, Myanmar, on May 24, 1950, and were dumped in the river. The decree on the martyrdom of the two was among 12 that Pope Francis authorized on Monday
The upcoming beatification will be the first native son of for the south-east Asian nation and Archbishop Charles Bo sdb, Yangon, has called it a sign of the Pope’ love for the Church in Myanmar, formerly Burma. "We are delighted to know that the first Burmese Blessed will be Isidore Ngei Ko Lat. The Holy Father is close to Myanmar and this first Blessed is the sign of Pope Francis and the Holy See's love and attention," he said.
The journey began in May 2008, when the Catholic Bishops' Conference wrote a letter to Pope Benedict XVI to "humbly ask the Pope to authorize the study of the cause." The beatification of Fr Vergara and his catechist, the bishops wrote, will be a source of " encouragement" for the whole community to live" a faith more in line " with the Gospel and to witness to it "in a brave and heroic" way, even at the cost of dying because of hatred for the faith and giving their lives "for the Gospel." Archbishop Bo said the Church in Myanmar is preparing to celebrate 500 years of history and hopes for a visit by Pope Francis to the country. He said that the beatification is a first step on a long journey and “there are many others", because they have many martyrs in Myanmar, who deserve sainthood.
Burmese Blessed announced
VATICAN: 12 December 2013 -- Pope Francis this week recognised the martyrdom of an Italian missionary and a local catechist who were killed for their faith in the last century in Myanmar, formerly Burma. 39-year old Fr. Mario Vergara of the Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions (PIME) from Frattamaggiore, near Naples, Italy, and Catechist Isidore Ngei Ko Lat were killed at Shadaw, Myanmar, on May 24, 1950, and were dumped in the river. The decree on the martyrdom of the two was among 12 that Pope Francis authorized on Monday
The upcoming beatification will be the first native son of for the south-east Asian nation and Archbishop Charles Bo sdb, Yangon, has called it a sign of the Pope’ love for the Church in Myanmar, formerly Burma. "We are delighted to know that the first Burmese Blessed will be Isidore Ngei Ko Lat. The Holy Father is close to Myanmar and this first Blessed is the sign of Pope Francis and the Holy See's love and attention," he said.
The journey began in May 2008, when the Catholic Bishops' Conference wrote a letter to Pope Benedict XVI to "humbly ask the Pope to authorize the study of the cause." The beatification of Fr Vergara and his catechist, the bishops wrote, will be a source of " encouragement" for the whole community to live" a faith more in line " with the Gospel and to witness to it "in a brave and heroic" way, even at the cost of dying because of hatred for the faith and giving their lives "for the Gospel." Archbishop Bo said the Church in Myanmar is preparing to celebrate 500 years of history and hopes for a visit by Pope Francis to the country. He said that the beatification is a first step on a long journey and “there are many others", because they have many martyrs in Myanmar, who deserve sainthood.
